System for salvo firing of torpedoes



H. L. ,F. BUSWELL. SYSTEM ron SALVO FIRING 0F TORP'EDOESQ APPLICATIONFILED NOV. 10. NHL RENEWED DEC. 30. 192k 1,431,144. Patented 001;3,1922;

3 SWTS-SHEET I.-

H. L'F. BUSWELL. V SYSTEM FOR SALVO FIRING OF TORPEDOES- .APPIJCATIONFILED NOV- l0. l9l1- RENEWED DEC- 30. I921.

1,431,144. Patented 0ct.3,1922.

3 SHEETS-.SHEEI 3.

p -aw 4.4 2:60;? W .8151, W 6mm, 1 a

Patented Oct. 3, 1922.

UNITED STATES v 1,431,144 PATENT OFFICE.)

HENRY L. F. BUSWELL, F GLOUCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO JOHN HAYSHAMMOND, JR., OF GLOUCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

SYSTEM FOR SALVO FIRING OF TORPEDOES.

Application filed November 10, 1917, Serial No. 201,346. RenewedDecember 30, 1921. Serial No. 526,034.

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I. HENRY LCF. BuswELL, a subject of-the King of GreatBritain, and a resident of the city of Gloucester, in the county ofEssex. State of Massachusetts, U. S. A., have invented certainrnew anduseful Improvements. in Systems for Salvo Firing of Torpedoes, of whichthe following is aspecification.

Some of the objects of this invention are to provide a system for firingsalvos of torpedoes in which the torpedoes may be simultaneouslydischarged in various directions from a torpedo boat and may beautomatically caused to proceed ultimately upon par allel coursestowards a target; and to provide other improvements as will appearhereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic top plan view ofa torpedo boat provided with a system constructed'in accordance withthis invention for discharging salvos of torpedoes and showing thecourse of a target and corresponding courses upon which the torpedoesmay be caused to proceed; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a deviceconstructed in accordance with this invention and forming a part of thisimproved system; Fig. 3 is adiagrammatic view of a system constructed inaccordance with this invention; Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmentary sideelevations of portions of the systemshown in Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a topplan view of a modified'device constructed in accordance with thisinvention; and Fig. 7, is a diagrammatic top plan view showing a torpedoboat provided with a system contially alon,

structed in accordance with this invention and showing the course of atarget and courses which the torpedoes may be caused to follow undercertain conditions.

Referring to the drawings, one embodiment of this invention comprises atorpedo boat 10 which is provided in its bow with a fixed'torpedo-tube11 extending longitudinally thereof and arranged to discharge a torpedo12. The torpedo boat 10 is also provided with two oppositely disposedtorpedo-tubes 1-3 and 14 fixed upon the torpedo boat 10 substantiallymidway between the bow and the stern of the boat and arranged todischarge two torpedoes 15 and.'16 in opposite directions respectivelyand substanline perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the boat. Theboat 10 is also provided with two parallel torpedo tubes 17 and 18 fixedupon the boat adjacent its sternand arranged to discharge two torpedoes19 and 20. r I

In this improved system each of the torpedo-tubes 11, 13, 14, 17 and 18is provided with a torpedo having a hull of any suitable constructionand arranged to be propelled automatically by suitable means and to besteered by a rudder 21 (seeFig. 3) which is mounted upon an uprightrudder post 22 to oscillate about an upright axis'fixed with respect tothe torpedo.

For predirecting each torpedo to proceed.

either upon a straight line towards the target or upon a broken courseconsisting of two straight portions which meet'at a predetermined angleand at a variablebut predetermnied distance from the torpedo boat therudder 21 of each torpedo is arranged to be oscillated by a crank arm 25rigid with the rudder 21 and pivotally connected at its free end to oneend of a connecting rod 26, the other end of which is pivotally-connect-'ed to the 'outer endof the piston-rod 27 which is arranged toreciprocate in a cylinder 28 arranged within and fixed witl1 respect tothe torpedo. Within the cylinder 28 is arranged to reciprocate a piston29 which is rigidly secured to the inner end of the piston-rod 27. Thepiston 29 is controlled pneumatically in a well known manner by means ofa valve 30 which includes a fixed arranged to reciprocate in and fromcores for two fixed solenoids 45 and 46.

For controlling the solenoids 45 and 46 to cause the rudder 21 to beactuated in such a' manner as to cause the torpedo to be steered firstin one direction for a predetermined distance or time, and then in adifie'rent direction, a gyroscope 60 is provided. Above the gyroscope 60is a normally vertical shaft 61 which is arranged to rotate relative tothe torpedo in bearings 62 fixed with respect to the 'torpedo.Surrounding the shaft 61 and coaxial therewith, are a lower or primaryazimuth ring 65 and an upper or secondary azimuth ring 66. The upper orsecondary azimuth ring 66 is rigid with a spider 67, which snuglysurrounds but which is rotatable with respect to and held againstmovement longitudinally of the vertical shaft 61. Secured within theupper ring 66 butinsulated therefrom are two approximately semi-circularsegmental conductors 68 and 69, which are arranged to be slidablyengaged successively by a yielding brush 70 carried by the outer end ofa conducting arm 71, which is rigidly secured to but insulated from avertical shaft 61.

For rotatably adjusting the. upper azimuth ring 66 with respect to thetorpedo, the outer surface of the ring 66 is provided with gear teeth 75which are engaged by a pinion 76 which is arranged to be rotated withrespect to the torpedo about a normally vertical axis fixed with respectto the torpedo by means of an electrical motion repeating device 77 ofany well known or suitable construction, which is mounted upon, thetorpedo" boat outside of the torpedo and which acts upon the repeatingdevice 77 through a four wire cable 79 including a return wire 80arranged to be energized by a battery 81. The wire 79 is connected to aplug 82 which separates when the torpedo leaves the tube. The transmisson device 78 is arranged to be actuated by means of a pinion 85, whichis arranged to be rotated y a gear 86 which is rigid with a normallyvertical spindle 87 which is held against longitudinal movement and isarranged to be rotated about an axis fixed with respect to the torpedoboat and to be rotated by means of a telescope 90 which is mounted uponthe upper end of the spindle 87 to rotate with respect thereto about anaxis fixed with respect to the spindle 87 and extending normallyhorizontally. or primary azimuth ring 65 is normally held in a fixedposition with respect to the torpedo in any suitable manner, but may berotativelyadjusted manually to any desired position. Arranged within thering 65 and secured thereto but insulated therefrom are twoapproximately semi-circular segmental conductors 95 and 96 which arearranged to be slidably engaged successively by a yielding brush 97carried by the free end of an arm 98 which is rigidly securedbutinsulated from the vertical shaft 61.

For rendering the rimary and secondary azimuth rings 65 and 66successively operative to control the direction of movement of thetorpedo, a time switch 110 is rovided which includes a fixed disc 111 wich The lower Secured to the disc 111 but insulated therefrom andcoaxially with the shaft 112, are a comparatively short segmentalcontact 114, and a comparatively long segmental contact 1.15, andrigidly secured to but insulated from the shaft 112 is a switch arm 116,the outer end of which is arranged to engage slidably over the twosegmental contacts 114 and 115 successively.

To permit a rotary adjustment of the shaft 112 without affecting theclock mechanism 113, the clock mechanism 113 is preferably arranged toactuate a short spindle 117 which is, arranged in longitudinal alinementwith the shaft 112, and which carries at its outer end a disc 118 which,is normally pressed toward the shaft 112 by a spiral spring 119, butwhich is held against rotation with respect to its spindle 117, the disc118 being thus normally pressed against a corresponding disc 120 whichis rigid with the ad acent end of the shaft 112. When the shaft 112 isadjusted rotatably, as will appear hereinafter, the disc 120 carried bythe shaft 112 rotates with respect to the disc 118 carried by thespindle 117 andthus permits the shaft 112 to be rotatably adjustedwithout disturbing the clock mechanism 113.

The inner ends of the windings of the two solenoids 45 and 46 areconnected by a. conductor 125 with one pole of a battery 126, the otherpole of which is connected by a conductor 127 to the switch arm 116 ofthe time switch 110. The outer end of the winding of the inner solenoid45 is connected by a conductor 130 and branch conductor 131 to :the twocorresponding segmental conductors 96 and 69 of the primary andsecondary azimuth, rings 65 and 66, and the outer end of the outersolenoid 46 is con nected by a conductor 132 and a branch conductor 133to the corresponding segmental conductors 95- and 68 of the primary andsecondary rings 65 and respectively. The arm 98 of the pr'mary ring 65is connected by a conductor 135 to'the comparatively long segmentalcontact 115 of the time switch 110, and the arm 71 of the secondary ring66 is connected by a conductor 136 to the comparatively short contact114 of the time switch 110.

For giving an initial adjustment to the switch arm 116 of the timeswitch 110, the outer end of the shaft 112 which carries the switch arm116 is arranged within the torpedo and in proximity to an opening 140provided therefor in the outer shell 141 of the torpedo, and is arrangedto be detachably engaged by the inner end of a longitudinally movableshaft 142 which is surrounded by a gear 143 rigid therewith, and

,rotate about a fixed axis upon a shaft 158 which carries an index 160which is arranged,

to cooperate with a stationary dial 161 provided marginally withsuitable graduations. The shaft 142 is held against rotation withrespect to the shaft 112 by means of a diametrical In 165 which isintegral with the inner end 0 the shaft 142 and which engages in acorresponding recess provided therefor in the-oute end of the shaft.112. the shaft 112 has been given an initial rotary adjustment by therepeating device 145, and before the torpedo 141 is fired or dischargedfrom its tube, the shaft 142 is moved longitudinally outwardly to freethe inner end of the shaft 142 from the torpedo.

To initiate the operation of the clock mechanism 113 of the time switch110. as a result of the withdrawal of the shaft 142' from the shell 141of the torpedo, a bell crank lever 175 is arranged within the tor pedoto swing on apivot 176 about a fixed axis, and one end of the bell cranklever 175 is arranged to be pressed by a spiral spring 177 normallyoutwardly against the inner end of the shaft 142 when the shaft 142 isin an operative position, and the other end of the bell crank lever 175is arranged to hold the clock mechanism 113 against operation when theshaft 142 is in its operative position, and to release the clockmechanism 113-when the shaft 142 is withdrawn to permit the bell cranklever 175 to swing through asmall arc in a clockwise direction, as shownin Fig. 5.

In the operation of this improved system, when a target 200 is movingalong a line or course 201 extending across the longitudinal axis of andin front of the torpedo boat 10 and is in a position included within anangle of about thirty degrees formed between two intersecting lines oneof which coincides witht-he longitudinal axis of the torpedo boat 10,and the otherof which extends through the center of the torpedo boat andthe center of the targets, all five of the torpedoes 12, 15, 16, 19 and20 may be predireeted in such a manner that when simultaneously fired orlaunched from their tubes After spaced apart at predetermined butvariable distances.

For instance, if as shown in Fig. 1, the torpedo boat 10 is proceedingalong a line 205 towards the target 200whi -h is proceeding upon acourse 201 and which is positioned in a line 206 extending through thecenter of the torpedo boat 10 and making an angle of less than'thirtydegrees with the line 205 containing thelongitudinal axis of the torpedoboat 10, and it is desired to discharge the torpedoes 12, 15. 16, 19 and20 so that they will ultimately proceed approximatel along parallelequi-spaced courses 206', 207. 208, 209 and 210 respectivelyintersect-ing the line of movement 201 of the target 200 in points 214,215, 216. 217 and 218 respectively which are spaced apart at equal andpredetermined distances 220 measured along the direction of movement 201of the target 200, the bow torpedo 12 should be predirected so that itwill seek and proceed upon a course 206 butslightly displaced from theline 206 extending from the boat 10 through the target 200, and twoamidship torpedoes 15 and 16 should be predirected so that they wouldtravel in opposite directions along the lines 225 and 226 extending in adirection of the corresponding torpedo tubes'13 and 14 until thetorpedoes 15. and "16 reach the points 227 and 228, and then be divertedfrom their courses and caused to assume and travel along the courses 207and 208 parallel to the course .206 of the bow torpedo 12. The sterntorpedoes 19 and 20 should be predirected in this case to proceed inopposite directions along the lines 230 and 231 extending at rightanglesto the torpedo tubes 17 and 18 until the torpedoes 19 and 20 reachthe points 232 and 233 at predetermined distances from the torpedo boat10, and would then be caused to assume or travel upon thecourscs 209 and210 parallel to the courses .206, 207 and 208 of the torpedoes 12, 15

the longitudinal axis of the torpedo boat and through the required(llstanc'es, this in-:

vention provides a device, shown in Fig. 2.

which includes a fixed flat base 250 and a bar 251 which is movabletowards and away from the base 250, and which is connected to the base250 by two pairs of links 251 and 252, each pair of whichare.pivotallyconnected, and are pivotally connected to. the fixed base250 and to the bar 251 respectively, and connected by the bar so as tocause the bar 251 to remain always parallel to the base 250 as the bar251 is being moved towards or away from the base 250.. The bar 251 isprovided with two parallel scales 255 and 256 rigid therewith andextending is located a fixed pivot 260 which extends in a directionperpendicular to the planeof the scales and 256, and which is surroundedby a suitable graduated dial 261 rigid therewith. Mounted upon the fixedpivot'260 to rotate with respectthereto about an axis. is an arm 262which extends in opposite directions from the pivot 260, and theopposite ends of which are arranged to engage slidably over the twoscales and 256 respetcively. Extending slidably over the arm 262 is aspacing bar 265 which is arranged to oscillate with respect to themovable bar 251 about a pivot 266 fixed with respect to the movable bar251, and extending through one end of the spacing bar 265. The spacingbar 265 is provided with an elongated slot 267 extending longitudinallyand centrally thereof, and in' which the fixed pivot 260 snugly butslidably engages. The distance between the inner graduated edges of thetwo scales 255 and 256 is taken as representing twice the distancebetween the amidship torpedo tubes 13' and 14 and the stern torpedotubes 17 and 18, and the pivot 266 upon which the spacing bar 265 ismounted is arranged midway between the inner edges of the two scales 255and 256. Extending from the fixed pivot 260 and perpendicular to the bar251 is a scale 268, the graduations of which are drawn to one-half thescale of the grad uations 257 and 258.

In adjusting thev device just described, the movable bar 251 ismovedtowards' or away from the stationary base 250 until the distancebetwen the fixed pivot 260 and thepivot 266 carried by the bar 251 isproportional to twice the desired dispersion? or predetermined distance220 between the points where it is proposed to have the courses of thetorpedoes intersect the line of movement of the target 200. The spacingarm 265 is also swung about the fixed pivot 260 to set the arm in such aposition that the longitudinal axis of the arm 265 will make an angle270 with a line drawn through the fixed pivot 260. and parallel to themovable bar 251 which is equal to the known angle between the directionof motion of the torpedo boat 10 and the course of the target 200, forinstance, equal to the angle 275 between the line 205 and the line 201-of Fig. 1. The arm 262is rotated into such a position of adjustment thatits longitudinal axis .makes an angle 276 with a line drawn through thefixed pivot 260 parallel to the bar 251, which is equal to the angle 277between the line of movement 205 of the torpedo boat 10 and a line 2 6drawn through the torpedo boat 10 and the tar et 200. When the parts arethus set, the istances which the two stern torpedoes 1'9 and 20 musttravel, in opposite, directions measured from the center line of thetorpedo boat 10 in order to have the torpedoes 19 and 20 reach thepoints 232 and 233 in which the torpedoes are to turn towards the lineof movement of the target 200, will be marked off by the opposite endsof the arm 262 upon the two scales 255 and 256 respectively. The

distances which the two amidship torpedoes 15 and 16 must travel fromthe longitudinal axis of the boat in opposite directions before reachingtheir turning points 227 and 228 are equal and read off from the scale268 where the upper edge of the bar 251 cuts the scale 268. All of thesedistances may 'be' quickly determined from the scales 255, 256

and 268, and the predirecting mechanism of the torpedoes may be setaccordingly.

For the convenience of the operator, in-

stead of graduating the scales 255, 256 and 268 in units of length,these scales may be graduated in units of time which itwill take for thetorpedoes to travel at a given rate over the distances indicated uponthe scales 255, 256 and 268 by the arm 262.

After having thus determined ,the disfrom an initial position shown indotted lines through a corresponding number of degrees withoutinterfering with the operation of the corresponding clock mechanism 113.Each switch arm 116 is thus set in such a. position that it will takethe switch arm 116 under the action of the clock mechanism 113 such aperiod of time to be rotated into engagement with the relatively shortcontact 114 as will permit the torpedo to travel at a predetermined ratefrom the torpedo boat to the point of-turning of the torpedo, whereuponthe switch arm 116 having reached the comparatively short contact 114will shift the control of the torpedo from the stationary azimuth ring65 (see Fig. 3) to the azimuth ring 66 which has been set by aiming thetelescope upon the target 200. After each time-switch has been thus set,and after'the movable azimuth rin 66 of each torpedo has been set by sigting the corres nding telescope 90 upon the target 200, t e torpedoesmay be simultaneously discharged from their tubes in any suitablemanner, and the torin a direction of the longitudinal axis of the boat10, and the target 200 is moving along a line 301 and is in a line 302drawn through the target and through the center of the torpedo boat 10which makes an angle 305 greater than thirty degrees with thelongitudinal axis of the torpedo boat, it would probably be founddesirable to use a modified auxiliary device for determining the angleat which the indicator160 of the time I switch 110 of each torpedoshould be set in order to have the torpedoes proceed ultimately uponparallel courses 306, 307 and 308 which intersect the line of movement301 of the target 200 at points 309, 309 and 309" respectively which arespaced apart at approximately equal predetermined distances. In thiscase, the modified auxiliary device shown in Fig. 6 and forming a partof this invention might be utilized. This modified 'device includes arigid frame. comprising a central rigid'beam 310, and two alined arms311 and 312 rigid with the beam 310 and extending in'opposite directionsthere from. Carried by the central beam 310 is a lever 315 which isarranged to swing about a fixed axis with respect to the beam 310 upon apivot 316 extending through one end of the lever 315, and secured to thecentral beam 310 at a point spaced upon one side of the two arms 311 and312 at a distance proportional, to half'the length of the ship. Rigidlysecured to the central beam 310 and arranged coaxially with the pivot316 is a dial 317 which is marginally graduated in degrees to permit ofthe convenient adjustment of the lever 315 at any desired angle withrespect to the central beam 310, the lever 315 being provided with anopening 320 through which the graduations upon the dial 317 may be read,andbeing provided with a central mark 321 adjacent the opening 320 to beused as a guide in rotatively adjusting the lever 315. The lever 315 is7 provided with a slot 325 extending longitudinally and centrallythereof, and snugly but slidably arranged in this slot 325 is a pivot326 upon one end of which is rigidly secured one end of a, movable arm327, and upon the other 'end of the pivot 326' 'is threaded a nut 328whereby the pivot may be clamped securely in any position of adjustmentlongitudinally of the lever 315.

Snugly surrounding the central beam 310 and slidably adjustablelongitudinally thereof, is a slider 330 which has rigidly securedthereto a dial 331 which is graduated marginally in degrees. Mountedupon the slider 330 to rotate with respect thereto about an axis fixedwith respect to the slider and extending through the center of the dial331,

is a carrier 335 which is provided with an opening through which snuglybut slidably extends the arm 327. The arm 327 is provided with one edge336 which is straight throughout its length and which is in a line whichintersects the axis of the pivot 326 which supports one end of the arm327, and also the axis about which the carrier 335 rotates with respecttothe dial 331. The central beam 310, each of the stationary arms 311and 312, and the swinging lever 315 are each provided with suitablegraduations extending along one edge thereof in each case, and which arelaid off in units of length. In using the modified device shown in Fig.6, the .pivot 326 is adjusted along the slot 325 until the distancebetween the axis of the pivot 326 and the axis of the pivot 316 asindicated by the graduations on the lever 315 is proportional to thedesired dispersion or distance between any two succeeding points inwhich the desired ultimate courses 306, 307 and 308 of the torpedoe'scross the course 301 of the target 200. The pivot 326 is then heldagainst movement longitudinally' of the lever 315, and the lever 315 .isrotatably adjusted until it makesan angle 340 with the beam 310 which isequal 'to the angle 341 between the line of movement of the target 301and the line of movement 300 of the torpedo boat 10. The movable arm 327is then rotatably adjusted about the pivot 326 by moving the slider 330either in one direction or in an opposite direction until the angle 345which the arm 327 makes with the central beam 310 is equal to thehereinbefore described angle 305 between a line drawn through the target200 and the center of the torpedo boat 10, and the line of movement 300of the torpedo boat '10. \Vhen the partsof the device shown in Fig. 6have been thus adjusted, the distance 350 which one of the sterntorpedoes 20 will have to go in a direction perpendicular to thelongitudinal axis of the torpedo boat 10 before it reaches the point 351where it will be diverted into its ultimate course 308, may be read uponthe graduations upon the fixed arm 311, the distance being indicated atthe oint where the movable arm 327 crosses the fixed arm 311. Thedistance which the bow torpedo 12 must move in the direction of thelongitudinal axis of the'torpedo boat 10 before the bow torpedo 12reaches the may be read upon the graduations on cators 160 of the sterntorpedo 20 and thebow torpedo 12 may be adjusted accordingly, ashereinbefore described, to cause those torpedoes to follow the coursesindicated in ilthough only a single automatic steering systemconstructed in accordance'with this invention has been shown herein. andalthough only two forms of auxiliary devices constructed in accordancewith this invention for facilitating the adjustment of the steeringsystem have been shown, it is to be understood t-hat the invention isnot limited to any specific steering system or to any specific auxillardevices for adjusting the system, but mig t be applied in the varioussteering systems and adjusted with the aid of any suitable auxiliarydevice Without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scopeof the appended claims.

Having thus fully described this invention, I claim:

1. In a system of salvo-firing, a vessel, a plurality of torpedoescarried thereby, means to discharge said torpedoes in differentdirections, and means operable after the discharge for causing all ofsaid torpedoes to assume substantlally parallel paths moving in the samedirection to intersect the path of a target common to all of saidtorpedoes. v

2. In a s stem of salvo-firing, a vessel, a plurality o torpedoescarried bysaid vessel, means to discharge said torpedoes in differentdirections, and means operable after the discharge for causing all ofsaid torpedoes to move in the same general direction to intersect thepath of a moving" target common to all of said torpedoes.

3. In-a s stem of salvo-firing, a vessel, a plurality o torpedoescarried by said vessel, means to discharge said torpedoes so that eachproceeds along a difi'erent predetermined course, auxiliary devicesarranged respectively to determine the distance each torpedo continueson its predetermined course, and means operable by said auxiliarydevices for causing said torpedoes to finally move in parallel paths inthe same direction to intersect the path of a moving target common toall of said torpedoes.

4. In a s stem of salvo-firing, a vessel, a plurality of? torpedoescarried by said vessel, means to discharge said torpedoes'so that eachproceeds along a difierent predetermined course, auxiliary devicesarranged respectively to determine the distance each I able after apredetermined interval to change torpedo continues on its predeterminedcourse, and means operable by said auxiliary devices for causing saidtorpedoes to finally move in the same generaldirection to intersect thepath of a moving target common to all of said torpedoes.

5. In a system of salvo-firing, a vessel, a plurality of torpedoescarried said vessel, means to discharge one torpedo along a coursetoward a target, means to discharge another torpedo along a course awayfrom said target, and means operable after a predetermined interval tochange the course of said second torpedo to direct it in the sameIgeneral direction asthe firsttorpedo.

6. n a system of salvo-firing, a vessel, a plurality of torpedoescarried by said vessel, means to discharge one torpedo along acoursettoward a target,,imeans to discharge another torpedo along acourse laterally with respect to the course of said first tor- I pedo.means to discharge a third torpedo along a course substantially oppositeto the course of said first torpedo. and means operthe courses of thesecond and third torpedoes respectiyely to direct them in the samegeneral direction as said first torpedo.

T. In a system of salvo-firing, the combination of a vessel, a pluralityof projectiles, means po.--itioned upon said vessel for discharging saidprojectiles therefrom in different directions, and means operable afterthe discharge for rectifying the direction of movement of theprojectiles into substantially parallel paths intersecting the path ofa. target common to all of said pr jectiles.

8. In a system of salvo-firing. the combination of a vessel, a pluralityof pro'ectiles, means positioned upon said vessel or discharging saidprojectiles therefrom in different directions, and means operable afterthe discharge for rectifying the direction of movement of theprojectiles into a single predetermined direction intersecting the pathof a target common to all of said projectiles.

9. In a system of salvo-firing, a vessel, a. plurality of projectiles,means positioned upon said vessel for discharging said rojectiles sothat each proceeds along a di erent predetermined course, auxiliarydevices arranged respectively to determine the distance each projectilecontinues on its predeterm-ined course, and means operable by saidauxiliar devices for causing said projectiles to finally move insubstantially parallel paths in the same direction to intersect the pathof a moving target common to' all of said proj ectiles.

10. In a system of salvo-firing, a vessel, a plurality of projectilescarried by such vescourse away-from said target, and means operableafter a predetermined interval to change the course of said secondprojectile to direct it in the same general ,direction as the firstprojectile. i

1 1. Ina system-of salvo-firing,-a vessel, a plurality of projectilescarried by said vessel, means to ischarge at least one projectile alonga course toward a moving target,- means to discharge at least one.otherprojectile along a course away from said target, means operable afterdischarge to .chan the course of the second projectile into a irectionsubstantially parallel to that of the moving target, and meansoperable-after a predetermined interval to changethe course ofsaidsecond projectileto direct it in the same general direction as thefirst projec'tile' 12. In a system of salvo-firing, a vessel, aplurality of rojectiles carried by saidvessel, means toischarge at leastone projectile along a course toward a .moving target, means todischarge at least oneother' pro jectile along a course away from saidtarget, means operable after the discharge of the projectile to divertits course into the same.

general direction as the target and means operable after a predeterminedinterval to change the course of said second projectile a second time todirect it in the direction asthe first projectile.

13. In a system of salvo-firing, a vessel, a plurality of projectilescarried by said 'vessel, means to discharge at least one projectilealong a course toward a target, means same general.

combination of a vessel, a lurality of projectiles arranged to be discarged from said vessel, and means operable after the d's charge formodifyin the direction of movement of the projecti es into a singlepredetermined direction intersecting the path'of a. target common toallofsaid projectiles.

15,- In a system QfJsaIVO-firing, a moving target, a vessel moving in adirection to intersectth. ath of movement of the target,

means to is charge" at least one projectile along a course sixstanti-ally parallel to the direction of movement of the vessel, meansto discharge at' least. one other projectile along a course contrar-yindirection to the movement of the vessel, means operable afterdischarge to change the'conrse of the-second projectile to direct it inthe same general direction'as the vessel.

Signed at N ew York, in the county of New York and 'State of New York;this 5th day of November, A. D. 1917.

HENRY- L; F. BUSWELL.

